How to Get Part-Time or Contracting Jobs

You like your independence, or you want some flexibility so you have decided you want a contracting or part-time job.

Tthe rules for getting a part-time or contracting job are not drastically different than any other job search, you just need to follow them.

But some significant differences do exist.

Here are some tips to guide your search.

Customize Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile

Whether you are searching for full-time, part-time, or contracting positions, a hiring manager will still want to know about your experience, so make sure your resume is compelling.

Showcase the specific experience and strengths you have for the jobs you are targeting. Stress your years of experience and accomplishments and, in particular, your ability to ramp up quickly.

For contracting jobs, especially for technical positions, the rules are a bit different, and they may want to see an addendum to your resume of all the projects you have done.

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Be sure your LinkedIn Profile offers facts and additional information that supports your resume. You may be able to include, or expand upon, the project descriptions from your resume's addendum in your LinkedIn Profile.

Make sure your cover letter clearly indicates what you are seeking and in the case of part-time jobs, include your hours of availability and time commitment.

Get Visible

Now you have to get your resume in front of the right people and there only 3 ways to do this: Job Boards, Recruiters and Direct Contact.

1. Job Boards

For part-time jobs, you can visit industry sites in retail, call center, non-profit and hospitality industries that frequently hire part-time jobs. You can also go to Indeed.com, and enter "part-time" as part of the search criteria.

Indeed and most of the job boards also have an Advanced Search option where you can indicate that you are searching for part-time or contracting positions. Net-Temps.com, Sologig.com, Freelancer.com, Flexjobs.com and Guru.com are also good sites to check out and don’t forget Craig’s list.

2. Recruiters

Depending on the kind of position you are seeking, recruiters can help. If you are seeking a contracting position, there are many agencies that specialize in placing independent contractors especially for technical positions.

Go to Google, and enter something like "IT Recruiters," and you will see a host of "temporary" or "staffing" agencies you can contact. Many of these sites let you indicate that you are not seeking a full-time job.

For part-time jobs, type something like "part-time IT employment agency" in Google, and note who comes up.

Remember that recruiters are paid by the company and their role is to find an employee for the company, not to find you a job. Beware of agencies that want you to pay them.

3. Direct Contact

Contacting employers is done in two ways: networking and direct mail. Direct mail is generally best for higher level positions and this is where you target a hiring manager to see if they can benefit from your expertise. The letter should be short and to the point and ask for a conversation.

For example,

Can you benefit from a Senior Programmer who specializes in Mobile Applications?I have over 10 years of crafting applications for multiple platforms and have done this for such firms as …..

Networking into a position is best done leveraging LinkedIn. Identify the companies you are targeting and see if you know anyone who knows anyone who can make an introduction. You can also use the Groups and Discussions to let people know you are seeking a position.

Important: your LinkedIn Profile must be compelling and give them a reason to contact you.

Also don't be shy about getting the word out that you're looking for part-time or contract work, so tell your friends and family, and use the social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. A graduate of the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program,